Trimming mechanism for sewing-machines



. APPUQATION FILED SEPT.2, I9l6.

Patented Sept. 21', 1920.

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m 1 J 5/ w mu w "M 4 w Q V/w v 1 2 v v n 2 m 1 g R. R. HUGHEfS, 1R. TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING:v MACHINES- Q APPLICATION FlLED SEPT. Z 1916. 7 1,353,534 PatentedSept. 21, 1920.

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I APPLICATION fILED SEPTJ, I916.

Patented Sept. 21,1920.

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ROBERT R. HUGHES, JR., UTICA, NEW YORK, A SSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TRIMMING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 21, 1920.

Application filed September 52,1916. Serial No. 118,192.

T all whom it may come I've Be it known that I, ROBERT R.

I Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at; Utica, in the county of Oneida, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Trimming Mechanism for ewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures. of reference marked thereon.

'The invention relates to new and useful improvements in trimming mechanism for sewing maclfiilines and more particularly to the controlli g mechanism for the trimming mechanism whereby the trimming mechanism may be rendered effective or ineffective a trimming mechanism with devices-whereby the tr'iinming blades may be moved bodily at the will of the operator from operative or effective position for trimming the material being stitched to an inoperative or ineffective position so that the material may be stitched without trimming. I t

A further, object of the invention is to provide devices of the above character which are so constructed that when the trimming mechanism isin inoperative or ineffective position the actuation of the which support is capable of being shifted for-moving the trimming blades bodily inmovable blade is suspended.

A' still further object of the invention is to rov'idea device of the above character wit means for automatically-closing up the work support in the region adjacent the stitching mechanism when the" trimming;

illustration, one embodiment of the invenstion m Figure l is a vertical sectional view through apart of the sewing machine, showing my improved trimming mechanismapplied thereto, certain 'of the parts of the trimming mechanism being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 2 is a view partly, in plan and partly in section showing a portion of the work support and my improved trimming mechanism, the parts for closing up the opening in the work support when the trimmer is HUGHES,

the trimming mechanism with the trimming blades moved to inoperative position;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation, showing the position of the trimming blades relative to the needles and feed when in inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing diagrammatically the treadle for controlling the position of the trimming blades;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the work support showing the trimming mechanism in position. for effective operation and the slide plate withdrawn, which closes the opening in'the work support for the trimming mechanism Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the trimmingi mechanism moved to'ineffective position and the slide plate forward and closing the opening in rear of the trimming mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a detail in section of the actuating arm and the connection thereto. he invention consists broadly in providing asupport for the trimming mechanism,

the direction of the line of feed either toward or from the stitching mechanism, so that the trimming blades may be positioned directly in front of and adjacent-the stitching mechanism for trimming the material trimmed. Said-trimming mechanism. in-

cludes a fixed trimming blade and a movable blade which cooperates therewith, which movable blade overhangs the fixed blade and has its cutting edge at the lower faceof the [projecting blade, so as to cut down onto the I lower fixed blade. The operating mechanism for the movable blade is so constructed that when the blades are moved forward to "inoperative position the actuating mecha:

Associated with the trimming mechanism is a strip deflector which guides the trlmmedoff strip away from the needles, the looper and the feeding mechanism, and this strlp deflector is also mounted so as to be movable with the trimming blades. The work support is formed with an opening or recess directly in front of the stitching mechanism, through which projects the trimming blades, the actuating mechanism for the trimming blades being entirely beneath the work support when the trimming blades are moved to either operative or inoperative position.

The space in rear of the trimmingblades is automatically closed by a slide plate when the trimming mechanism is moved to its inoperative position. This is accomplished by suitable devices actuated from the movable bracket which supports the trimming mem-.

bers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, have shown my improved trimming mechanism applied to a sewing machine having a supporting bed 1 which carries a work support 2. The machine is provided with the usual overhanging arm h'avin a needle head 3 at the forward end thereo in which a needle bar-4 reciprocates. Said needle bar carries, as shown in the drawings, two needles, one of which is indicated at 5 in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. These needles pass through suitable openings 6-6 in the throat plate 7 which is carried byv the work support 2. Cotiperating with the needle beneath the work support is a single looper 8 which is mounted on a looper carrier 9 and this looper carrier is in turn pivoted on a looper support 10. The looper carrier 9 is moved back and forth by a link 11. The material is fed across the work support by a feed dog 12 which is carried by a feed bar 13 pivoted to the feed rocker 14. The feed dog is raised and lowered by an eccentric 15 on the main shaft 16.

The material isheld on the work support and in cobperative relation to the feed dog 12 by a presser foot 17 carried by a presser bar 18. These parts'are all of the usual construction and it is not thought further description thereof is necessary.

Coiiperating with the stitching mechanism and located in advance thereof isa trimming mechanism comprising a fixed trimming blade 19 and a movable trimming blade- 20. The fixed trimming blade 19 is mounted. in a bracket 21 which bracket is in the form of a vertically extending post, see Fig. '1. This bracket is provided with a shank 22 which slides in a block 23 fastened 'to the under side of thebed plate 1 and located bemachine. This block 23 is formed with a dove-tailed recess to receive the shank. The

shank extends well underneath the bed plate 1 and serves as a firm support for thebracket which supports the trimming blades.

by suitable clamping mechanism which may I be of any desired character.

The bracket 21 has a laterally extending base '26 and a post or arm 27' projects upwardly from this base and this arm or post 27 together with the bracket 21 form bearings for the shaft 28. Fixed to this shaft 28 is an arm 29, said arm being secured thereto by suitable screws 30.

-The arm 29 carries the movable blade 20. The movable blade 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 projects forwardly and overhangs the upper edge of the blade 19 and said forwardly projecting-portion is pointed as at 30. The cutting edge 31 of the movable blade is on the under face of the projecting portion and as this armswings downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, said cutting edge cooperates with the upper cutting edge of the fixed trimming blade 19 to sever the material placed between the blades.

A spring 32 encircling the shaft 28 bears against an adjustable abutment 33 at one end thereof and against the arm 29 at the other end thereof. This spring normally forces the arm 29 to the left as is viewed in Fig. 2 and thus holds the trimming blades yieldingly'pressed together. The abutment 33, as shown in the drawings, is in the form of a collar which is threaded into a hearing at the up er end of the post 27.

At tie outer end ofthe shaft 28 there is an arm 34 which is clamped to the shaft 28 by a clamping screw 35. Said arm 34 at its free end carries a pin 36 which is loosely fastened to the arm by a nut 37.

A second shaft 38 is mounted in suitable bearings 39 and 40 formed. in the bracket 41 which is secured to the bed plate of the machine. This shaft carries a crank 'pin 42 which is secured to a collar 43 in turn clamped onthe end of the shaft 38. The crank pin 42 is engaged byan eccentric strap 44 which cooperates with 45 on the main shaft 16.

The other end of the shaft 38 is provided with warm 46 which is clamped to the shaft by a pin 46.

.tersects the axis of the shaft 38.

The shank 22 supporting the bracket 21 and the trimming blades, is provided with a depending lug 49 to which is pivoted one end of a link 50. The other end of the link 50 is pivoted to the rocking lever 51 which is carried by a bracket 52 clamped to the work table 25 by suitable screws 53-53.

an eccentric I Said arm 46 is grooved *as at 47 and this groove-"extends from end A chain or other flexible connection 54 connects this rock lever 51 with a suitable treadle which is held raised by a spring 56. A spring 57 mounted on the pivot bolt 58 for the rock lever51 normally holds the shank 22 forced inwardly and the trimming blades in operative or effective position relative to the needles.- By depressing the treadle the operator swings the rock lever 51 and moves the bracket 21 away from the needles, saidshank 22 sliding in the guide and permitting this movement.

In Fig. -1 of the drawings I have shown the parts positioned for effective operation of the trimmin mechanism. -When in this position the trimming blades will operate to sever the material fed thereto and-prior to the stitching of the material. The trimmed .ofl' edge will engage a stripdeflector 59. .This strip deflector is secured to the bracket 21 supporting the trimming blades, by suitable screws and projects upwardly over the trimming blades. Said deflector guides the strip downwardly and toward the operator and away from the needles, looper and the feeding mechanism. It will be understood that in this type of trimming mechanism the trimmers may be readily set so as to.cut one of two superposed layers, the point 30 serving as a piercing point to enter a folded edge and penetrate between the superposed layers while the upper rounded face of the knife separates the two layers and the under layer only is trimmed.

When it isdesired to cease trimming for any purpose, the operator depresses the treadle 55. This turns the rock lever 51 so as to move the bracket 21 forward to the position shown in Fig. 4. As the bracket moves forward the shoe 48'which imparts the oscillations of the arm 46'tothe movable trimming blade willslide along the groove47 to a position in axial alinement with the shaft 38 so that the continued oscillations of the shaft 38 will merely oscillate the supporting pin 36 carrying this shoe 38 and will not actuate the arm 34, the parts being so positioned that when the movable trimming blades are moved to,this forward position, the actuation of.the movable blade not only ceases but said blade will be stopped when at its lower limit of movement and this will in party cover the cutting edge of the blade. Inasmuch. as the strip deflector is mountedon the bracket which supports the trimming members it will also be moved forwardly with the trimmingblades to its inoperative or ineffectiveposition. The release of the treadle permits the parts to be returned by the spring 57 to operative position relative to the needles and on return of the parts, the shoe 48 slides outwardly in the groove 47 and the movements'of the arm 46 will then be imparted to the movable trimming blade and oscillate the same.

The work support '2 is cutaway, as clearly shown at 61, in advance of the plane of the needles and this cut away portion extends to a point well in front of the needles. The supporting bracket for the fixed trimming blade has an upwardly'extending portion the upper face of which is substantlally flush with-the work support. The movable trimming blade extends up through this recess and likewise the strip guard extends up through the recess. When, however,

these parts are moved forward to inoperativeposition, it is desirable to close the recess directly in front of the needles, as the lower trimming blade and the support there-.

for which serve as a fabric support during the trimming operation is now moved away and leaves nothing to support the material directly in front of the needles. In order to close the recess directly in front of the needles when the trimming blades are moved to inoperative position, I have provided the cloth plate with a movable section 62. This.

and 8, carried by an arm 69, which arm in turn is secured to the bracket 21. When the bracket 21 is inoved forwardly, as viewed in Fig. 8,-the arm 69 will move forwardly and the rack 68 will-turn the shaft 67 in a clockwise direction and this rotation of the shaft will, through the gears 66 and 66 and the rack 65, move the slide 62, to the left and bring said slide to the position shown in Fig. 8, whereby the end of the slide will close the space directly in front of the needles. A movement of the bracket 21 in the opposite direction so as to bring the trimming blade into effective position, retracts the slide; The rack 67 moves entirely out of engagement with the gear 66.

so that during the first part of the forward movement of the bracket 21, the shaft 67 is not turned. .As soon as the strip deflector is sufliciently out of the way, then the rack 68 meshes with the gear 66 on the lower end of the shaft 67 and moves the slide forward.

This gear on the lower end of thes'haft is larger than the gear on the upper end of the shaft, so that a comparatively short movement of the rack 68 will move the slide 62 full forward.

. It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of treadle controlled devices for moving both of said trimming blades bodily and horizontally toward and from the needle at the will of the operator whereby said trimming blades may be moved to inoperative position and out of range of the fabric so that the fabric may be fed to the stitching mechanism without being trimmed.

2. The combination of stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, 'a trimming mechanism including/a fixed blade and a movabletrimming blade cooperating therewith, and treadle-operated devices for moving bodily said fixed blade and said movable trimming blade toward and from the needle in a horizontal plane at the will of stitching mechanism.

the operator and without stopping the 3. The combination of stitch -forming mechanism including a needle, feeding mechanism, a work support having a recess in the front of the needle, trimming mechamechanism including a needle, mechanism, a work support having a recess nism including trimming blades disposed in the recess in front of the needle, and treadlecontrolled means for moving the trimming blades substantially in the line of feed and toward and from the needle-at the will of the operator Without stopping the stitching mechanism.

t. The combination of stitchforming feeding in the front of the needle, trimming mechanism including trimming blades disposed in the recess in front of the needle, treadle controlled means for moving the trimming blades substantially in the line of feed and toward and from the needle at the will of the operator without stopping the stitching mechanism, and devices controlled by said treadle for closing the recess in the work support directly in front of the needles when the trimming blades are moved forwardly to inoperative position.

5. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a needle, feeding mechanism, a work support having a recess in the front of the needle, a trimming mechanism including a supporting bracket, a fixed blade carried thereby, said fixed blade being disposed in the recessin front of the needle, a movable blade mounted on said bracket, said movable blade overhanging the plane of the work support and having its cutting edge on the lower face of the overhanging. plane thereof, and means for moving said bracket in the line of feed toward and from the needle.

6. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a needle, feeding mechanism, a work support having a recess in the front of the needle, a trimming mechanism including a supporting bracket, a fixed blade carried thereby, said fixedblade being disposed in the recess in front of the needle, a movable blade mounted on said bracket, said movable blade overhanging the plane of the work support and having its cutting edge on the lower face of the overhanging plane thereof, means for moving said bracket in the line of feed toward and from the needle, and means for closing the space in rear of the trimmin blades and directly in front of the need e when said trimming blades are moved forward to inoperative position.

7. The combination of stitch forming mechanism having a needle, awork support having a recess adjacent the needle, a trimming mechanism including a fixed blade and a movable blade disposed in said recess, a bracket supporting said trimming blades, treadle controlled means for moving said bracket for shifting the position of the trimming blades relative to the needle, a slide for closing the recess between the trimming blades and the needle when said trim ming blades are in inoperative position, and means for operating said slide from said treadle.

8. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a needle, a trimming mechanism including a fixed blade and a movable blade, means for actuating said movable blade, and treadle controlled: means for moving said blades to inoperative position relative to the needle and for stopping the movements of said movable blade.

9. The combination of stitch forming mechanism including. a needle, a trimming mechanism including a fixed blade and a movable blade," means for actuating said movable blade, treadle controlled means for moving said blades to inoperative position relative to the needle and for stopping the movements of said movable blade, and a spring for returning said movable blades to operative position relative to the needle and restoring the actuation of the movable blade on the release of said treadle.

10 The combination of stitch forming mechanism including a needle, a work support having a recess adjacent the needle, a

racket mounted beneath the work support, a fixed trimming blade supported by said bracket, devices for actuating said movable trimmin blade, and means for shifting the bracket for moving the trimming blades toward and from the needle, said actuating devices for the trimming blades being so constructed that the movements of the mov- .the movable blade,

able trimming blade are suspended when the trinming blades are moved away from the nee le.

11. The combination of stitch forming bracket for moving a shaft mounted onsecond shaft, a slotted arm carried by said second shaft and adapted to receive said shoe on the actuating arm for the'movable trimming blade, and means for shifting'the the needle, said actuating arm and the arm on the oscillating shaft being so positioned. that the shoe on the actuating arm is moved over the axis of the oscillating by the movements of he trimming blade are suspended.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa ture in the presence of two witnesses.

. ROBERT It/HUGHES. JR. Witnesses:

EARL C. CLARK,

ARTHUR L. W1Lcox.

the blades away from.

shaft where 

